Impatience

Saturday I stuck around at the show a bit longer and ended up talking to the Custom saddlery people while my student's saddle was getting reflocked.

I rode this guy afterward

She said that she had a bunch of demo saddles for sale and I said I better not sit in any or I'll have to buy one because my butt has a strong preference for things I can't afford. We laughed and I told her the story about mine. I also told her that I actually was going to need a new saddle for my dumb young horse who is both thankfully and unfortunately thinner built than my fat retired horse who I bought it for. I said I really wasn't looking forward to making attempts at finding that sort of money, but that my saddle needed to be padded up to ride TC and that was part of why I had issues with him- I really hate the feeling of floating above a horse and it makes me extra weary when shit hits the fan.

She asked why I would buy a new saddle when I could just have mine adjusted. I was like um because he needs a whole new tree size. And of course, Custom does that.

As if I couldn't fall for the brand even more! I had no idea my old crappy saddle could be adjusted (I thought it was just the new ones). So I asked whether she came down to where TC is going to be boarded and she said "all the time" so yay! I just saved myself at least $2500. Once as I get a firm date on when he's coming back, I want to try to get her down within the first week. I think it's part of me feeling safe on him, having a saddle that doesn't need to be hoisted up 2 inches off his back. I know my vet will say to wait, but as long as two fittings (one right as we start and one probably two or three months later as he becomes more dressage fit) cost less than $2500, we're good.

I'm only bummed that then it probably won't fit Rico and Riot, but TC is more important and I can just ride Rico bareback until another sub $1k 17" MW Custom comes along. Right.

Stealing all of TC's tack, but hey it was Rico's first!

Knowing that I would only have another month and a bit to savor riding Rico in a dressage saddle, I zipped down to the ranch after the show to get him and Riot out (and then hit the gym, it was a very active day!).

Rico was... a bit of an asshole to tell the truth. I got him out and he spent the whole time in the cross ties jealous that Riot was out on pasture and he was not. He whinnied incessantly, shook his head, pawed, bowed down like a dog, and tried to bite me. I tacked him up and was actually kind of excited, I love it when he's like this because I can usually direct this sort of attitude into work.

I had to wait for the rain to clear, and then we headed out. I stopped at my car to grab the gate opener and my back brace, leaving Rico standing in the driveway. He's usually fine about standing there and ends up dozing. This time he left. He started power walking away from me down the driveway towards the gate. I had to run after him and caught up with him when he was almost out the gate and ready to pick up a trot. I walked him into the arena and he bullied me up the small hill, trotting and throwing his shoulder into me. Uh, thanks.

Very frustrated

Rude, he probably hates that I put him in those amazing polos

So obnoxious

I hopped on and he went right to work. It was the best he's felt in months! He's never going to be 100% sound, and tbh, he really never was completely even anyway.

I mostly just worked on the tempis, pi/pa, and the quality of the gaits. Luckily I coerced my mom to come take a video half way through the workout, which reminded me that I'm riding horses way too slow recently. I dunno what it is, but I'm riding them really really fucking slow. I sort of slowed my client's horse down way too much, I noticed that I was riding BFF really slow the last time I was on him, and Rico is only too happy to embrace a lifestyle with minimal suspension and energy. Collection does not feel slow. How many times do I have to learn that lesson?

After seeing that in the video, I went to work pushing him forward and really riding his hind legs actively under him. This is going to help so much with the baby horse, since he's SUPER forward and the one thing BRH trainer always says is to go with it and push him past it. Make him think that I'm cool with galloping around forever. If he's bad, go forward. Keeps him from bucking, since as much as I don't want to believe it, bolting is safer than bucking.

Much more forward after canter

Erm not enough suspension, but a good boy

The other thing that bugged me in the video is that I rode him a bit too up. He's not strong enough to do that anymore, so he just goes on his underneck. This is partially because I'm in the snaffle and also partially just that his uphill balance has returned to its natural state, versus the uphill balance that I carefully constructed with years of dressage training.

What I was really glad to see in the video is that my position looked stronger than it has in months. I still look down, which is going to just be like that forever I think, but I was sitting strong and upright in the tack, and my leg hung really well. Yay! I also was glad to be able to ride him in TC's fat snaffle (despite riding him too up). It's not easy, but it's been really good for me to face that with Rico. I primarily rode him in the double, hackamore, pelham, and a thinner snaffle (like not that often though), so it's really nice to feel like I've come farther as a rider after riding TC. TC taught me how to ride without any sort of rigidity and I'm glad to see that change in Rico as well.

Trotting along

 

Flying change to counter canter

He can still sit even when I'm riding him too up

Passage, my favorite

Saturday I also rode Riot, who was awesome. I ran into a neighbor who also has a TWH and she said I was doing a good job! I really want to find a TWH trainer who will come out and give me a lesson, neighbor said that she'd be interested in a lesson too, which is great! I've mostly just been teaching Riot dressage, he now has a crappy leg yield and a decent shoulder-in in both his flat walk and running walk (are they supposed to do lateral work in running walk? I don't know, but he does!). So hopefully that lesson comes soon since I'm going to run out of things to do at the walk eventually. Next up: haunches in and half pass, and maybe walk pirouettes.